Latest Teacher Salary Statistics - Quebec Still Bottom of the Barrel in Canada, According to the FSE-CSQ and QPAT

QUEBEC, Dec. 14, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Once again this year, the Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE-CSQ) and the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (APEQ-QPAT) were left frustrated, yet unsurprised, after reviewing Statistics Canada's publication on Canadian teachers' salaries for 2018-19. The data show that Quebec teachers are at the bottom rank for almost every category, and their salaries are well below the Canadian average. The only place Quebec does not come dead last is in the salary at top of scale category, where New Brunswick steals the honour by a whopping $245. However, it takes Quebec teachers four years longer than their New Brunswick counterparts to reach their maximum wage.

Indeed, the Statistics Canada publication shows that the wage gap with the Canadian average is now 14% compared to 13% in 2017-18. Furthermore, Quebec teachers still need to work an extra five years before they reach the top salary scale, since the government has yet to fulfill its election promise to abolish the first six scales. According to the FSE-CSQ and QPAT, these two factors combined mean that Quebec teachers miss out on significant revenue – to the tune of a few hundred thousand dollars – over their career, which confirms that they have the worst salaries in Canada.

Following the Institut de la statistique du Québec's recent observation that there is a 9.2% wage gap for the public sector, Statistics Canada data show that, while Quebec teachers rank second to last – by a very slim margin – for the salary at top of scale, they are dead last for almost every other aspect. Thus, they are always:

• The lowest paid at the beginning of their career;
• The lowest paid after 10 years of experience;
• Those with the most pay scales (15) to climb before they get to the top.

"Clearly, it's time for the government to put its words into action and correct the unfair and unacceptable situation happening in Quebec," said Josée Scalabrini, President of the FSE-CSQ. "The government must understand the message that, like the improvement of work conditions, the wage issue is also key for our profession to continue to retain its employees and attract new ones. We need to see actual progress. Enough contempt! Things have to change now!"

"If education were a priority, those working in education would be as well," concluded Heidi Yetman, President of QPAT. "Quebec teachers deserve better than being at the bottom of the list. Despite all the nice promises and rhetoric, there's still nothing at the bargaining table that will help us fix this. The lack of a clear signal for those who are fighting for the schools is saddening and unacceptable. The teaching profession must be valued and be recognized for its full worth."

In the context of the ongoing negotiations, the FSE-CSQ and QPAT are asking for a 6% wage increase at the central table, as well as a 5% increase in sectoral negotiations for all teaching staff, which would close Quebec's wage gap significantly.

Profile

The Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE) represents 34 unions representing more than 65,000 teachers in school service centres and school boards across Quebec. Its membership includes teachers from all sectors, including pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational and general adult education. It is affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) and negotiates in collaboration with the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (APEQ-QPAT), which represents the 8,000 teachers in Quebec's English school boards. Together, they represent 73,000 teachers.

SOURCE Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (CSQ)

Sylvie Lemieux, Press Officer, FSE-CSQ, 418-563-7193, [email protected]; Julie Montpetit, Communications Advisor, APEQ-QPAT, 514-249-9653, [email protected]

Related Links

www.lafse.org/